MBB: MAC Freedom League

[ljk]

Leo:  Don't forget former ABA ref, Harvey Miller, working the clock, next to JZ.  I wonder if Carl was hauled away in the paddy wagon.   Maybe they thought he was the Professor, that you referred too, that may have been involved in the scuffle.  He does have that scholarly look.  Do you think your Monarchs can win it all against a well coached DeSales club?  I think Scalzo and Sobo have to have better games than they did the other night and have to clamp down on Stricker on the defensive end.  What say you?

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Nais,

I can't enough of those bingos from John Z.  and as for the bearded wonder, that would be King's superfan also known as Carl.  He's become a staple at King's games over the past few seasons and as come up with some great cheers such as "TM in the PM" and "The Veet goes on"

CJ,
Who is this Brown Family? I didn't know Larry Brown attended MAC Freedom Games.

I gotta tell ya, I'm a fan of John Z's work as well.  Stunned?  And his possession arrow guy (is that the ABA ref?) is flawless.  After a tie-up, before a ref can even look over, he's standing up and pointing the right way.

Just once, and perhaps the MAC Championship game is the perfect game to try it, I challenge John Z to use other games of chance, in lieu of Bingo, for his 3 point calls.  ex.) "Yahtzee!"

Leo - The Brown Family was a group of big dudes, circa 2000, that thought they were the entertainment.  Games at King's, they'd be on the floor messing with a guy trying to inbounds a pass.  Games at Wilkes, they'd stand near a baseline and just jaw at everyone they could until a cop told them to sit down.  It was so bad that King's actually got T'd up once because of them... and anyone who's seen what the fans get away with, knows you have to earn a T at Scandlon.  (Unless you're Corby Swan in '04.  Then you get a T for sitting silently... but that's another story)

CC - I'm a "Starter".  I patrol several boards.  Landmine's just the latest.

[bill]

Corby Swan in '04?

Colonel, that's not the same Corby Swan from Somerville, NJ HS is it?

[Leo The Lion]

You know I might be biased, but I think King's has one of the finest scorer's tables in all the land.  The great thing about John Z. is if you listen closely, he'll throw in a little wrinkle every now and then (i.e. "A whirly-dirvish move from Jamie Cousart" from Wed's game).  The whole table is full of professionals, John, John, Harvey, Bob Z.'s crew, and anyone else I forgot. 

Now as for the game.

LJK,
King's could be playing Duke this weekend and I would still have to pick King's.  It should be a brutal matchup, much like the one at Scandlon a few weeks ago. This King's team is very different from the one that got Beat down in Bilera back in December.  Stricker is a force, from what I heard he was the difference in that Scranton game.  For King's to win Soboleski has to contain Stricker, he doesn't have to shut him town.  King's has to do what they did all year when they won games, take smart shots, limit turnovers, don't get outrebounded.   It's a battle between two talented, well-coached squads, we'll see what happens.

and by the way, if Carl was a professor at King's, I would no longer have an argument against CC that Scranton is on equal accademic ground with King's.   

[loyalroyal]

Well, Scranton lost a close one Wednesday night.  While I would like to have seen them pull it out, you can't win them all.  Congrats to DeSales and King's who will be playing for the conference championship tomorrow.  Two good schools with two good teams, and I wish them both a lot of luck.

As for the King's scorer's table.  I agree with the consensus that King's runs a great table.  Their staff is always kind and helpful even when you have a question right before the start of the second half.  However, I have to throw in Kevin Southard's name from Scranton as being a great person.  He always keeps it professional and works really hard day in and day out.

Well, unless Scranton gets a Freedom matchup in the ECACs (or even a smaller possibility the NCAAs) this willbe my last post.  Thanks for the fun boys and girls.  And for those of you staying here (Colonel) I expect to hear some friendly "banter" come next season.  Good luck to you all

[saratoga]

Leo: Hey, best of luck...but, I'll go with Duke over Kings. As for your other statement, Kings on "equal ACCADEMIC ground" with Scranton...Ladies & Gentlemen,...I rest my case!!! Long live the Hoopster! PS. Desales by 3...this is the year they spell post-season...NCAA.

[naismith]

In no particualr order.
Leo,
Carl usually sits in the lower bleachers against the rail. With his cohorts, they can raise quite a ruckus. According to "Carl's Crew", no King's player has ever committed a foul or any violation. Ever!  lol...  And the opponents, why they should have all fouled out before the 1st timeout.

Methinks Kings will win  this Saturday.

To me, the key will be to contain Ohlson----a very strong underrated PG. He can shoot it a bit, penetrate and is quite physical.
Second, if Kings should match up man to man, I would have Ryan Nensteil on Stricker. He has the foot speed and quickness to neutralize that big first step.
Third, if Kings zones, I would  prevent Streaky Strickzy from getting any good looks. 

Kings appears to have a size and depth edge. The Monarch rotation has no weak links and they can all shoot the ball.

And CC...thanks for the links. I will check them out.

Naismith

[ronk]

   There was some great bball in the EBL in the mid-60s when I was watching. There were only 8/9 teams in the NBA so everyone else played in the EBL including the players banned from the NBA for pointshaving.
    Wilkes-Barre had a great backcourt of Levern Tart/Larry Jones/Larry Costello with Paul Silas thrown in; Jim Boeheim was a reserve with Scranton; Paul Arizin(1 of the NBA's 50 greatest) played rather than move to the west coast when the warriors went to San Fran.

[ljk]

Ronk:  Can you imagine one of todays NBA players doing what Arizin did?  I believe he had a good job with IBM in the Philly area at the time, and made the decision to stay, and play on the weekends with the Camden Bullets.   He was along in his career at the time, but stiill had one of the best jump shots in the games history.   He perfected the shot with great form, jumping straight up, shoulders always squared to the basket, classic release and rotation, and nothing but net.  I remember him being a strong guy, and the constant bumps and shoves in this rough league, would very seldom break his concentration and form.  A lot of (and ones).  His one handed jumper was one of the first of its kind, coming at a time when a lot of guys still used the two handed set shot, (Larry Costello comes to mind).  A NBA Hall of Famer playing in a weekend league for the love of the game.  What a story!

[ljk]

Naismith:  I agree that Ohlson is a very good point guard and a tough defender but if DeS plays man, I think Kings can take advantage of his lack of size and post up their bigger guards down in the paint and go to work.   Strickzy is a lot like Welsh of King's.  If they get hot, its lights out, and they can give their team a good run and momentum.   I really like R. Nensteil the few times I've seen him.  His size, ball handling skills, court awareness, defense and rebounding, could create match up problems for DeS.  He seems to have a little bit of everything in his game.  The thing I like the most is that he seems totally unafraid to take the clutch shot.  As Raft says,  "he's got onions".  I still think the key is Scalzo and Sobo having good games and containing Stricker.  I believe the key to the Monarchs is Cousart.  He's their quarterback and glue of the team.  DeS has to disrupt and take him out of his control game.   I'm still sticking with the Monarchs in a close one.

[kate]

This is to answer Saratoga in the "Landmark League" site when he said Wilkes had some practically unheard of schools to play next season - just think Sara, you have Goucher & Merchant Marine - just go & knock yourselves out!

[cold_case]

Toga, looks like you made another friend.

Nais, if I'm King of the Karma, check out Kate. She's Queen of the Karma.
Of course, I lost two points yesterday because I made bad, bad on the Landmark Board by firing back at some sarcastic CAC'er.
Ooops, there goes another point.

[saratoga]

Kate: At least the U.S.M.M.A. has been to an Elite 8 fairly recently...ask the Wilkes faithful if they remember them. Beside Scranton, Wilkes & Kings(recently), & Lyco once(about 5 years ago)...who else from the MAC Freedom has been to the NCAA's? Every league has certain teams that struggle somewhat...but, often times all that can change in literally one year if the right combination of kids are brought in & most importantly...they STAY for all 4 years. Retention of student-athletes at Goucher will not be a problem...it has been an issue at a number of Freedom institutes of higher learning.

[naismith]

CC,

I karmastized the Kween Kate so now the polls are even (-18) each.


Is karmastized karmatically korrect??

Naismith

[saratoga]

CC: I certainly hope for funs sake at the very least... you do not hold true to your recent post & decline to share thoughts, laughs & history on the Landmark site. What's that all about anyway? SirJames: Kate is the most loyal DVC fan out there...not so much into the mens game as the womens...but, she certainly brings a passion to fanhood. At times she can be somewhat misguided in her reasoning...but overall, a very true-blue fan of the game & of her adopted school. Not a big fan of the recent MAC defections though!